Tag: cafe

#365daysofbiking Sunshine after rain

June 14th – Feeling unwell but needing to go out, I slipped out late afternoon to pick something up from a friend in Barton. The heavens opened on my as I left and the rain was torrential. By the time I got to Lichfield I was soaked – I’d endured rain, hail, thunder and lightning…

But, at Lichfield, the weather cleared, the sun came out and I gently dried in the soft sun. It was actually gorgeous.

Cake, coffee, a completed mission at Barton, I enjoyed a spin back and the spectacle of flooded roads and swollen rivers.

A better than expected ride.

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October 1st – With autumn really bearing down on me now, no choice but to embrace it. I went out on a really very grey afternoon with a strong wind and a heavy heart. I went to visit a new cafe I’d found, and despite arriving well within stated opening hours, they were no longer serving.

Some businesses confound me.

Heading out to Canwell and Hints though, the season was setting the hedgerows and trees ablaze, the scenery was fighting to show it’s beauty through the gloom and it was hard to be down.

So I just rode on and really, really enjoyed it.

July 12th – Spotted at the bottom end of Scarborough Road in Pleck, the local sandwich shop has been taken over.

I like places named with humour and a tongue firmly in cheek. Not like the clever-clever names for hairdressers and narrowboats that rely on crap puns, but genuine warm humour.

One of my favourites was a emergency retail glazier that used to exist (and may still do) called Total Board ‘em, and a cafe in Sandwell called Sam ‘n’ Ellas.

I wish Fay and her baps well, and like the idea of good food in a good mood.

Mmmm. Bacon.

May 7th – First decent ride out for a week or to, to be honest. An afternoon spin up through Lichfield, Alrewas and Cotton to Rosliston Forestry Centre for tea and cake, then back via Coton in the Elms, Netherseal, Chilcote, Honey Hill and Harlaston.

A harsh northern was challenging, but blew me home, and the sights were beautiful in the warm sun. The ducks are still about at Coton and if that one doesn’t have the spirit of Elvis in him, I’m a Dutch uncle.

Not sure what I did to offend the striped cat at Whittington, but it was well cross with me…

A lovely ride, marred only by the unwelcoming attitude, poor cake and service at Rosliston: a piece of advice to fellow cyclists – go to the Honeypot instead. Not only was I served heavy, poor cake in a polystyrene takeaway box, but was treated like an irritation at 4:30pm when advertised closing is 5pm, but staff having a break discussing how ‘cyclists shouldn’t be on the road’ made me vow never to give the place my custom ever again. 

November 13th – I slid out in the afternoon with the Remembrance air of sadness on my shoulders, and headed for restorative coffee and cake up at Fradley Junction. In the courtyard f the cafe there, song birds tamed and emboldened by a life of cheekily sneaking titbits and crumbs from customer’s tables flit busily among the leaves, hunting for morsels. 

Also present for the the autumn bug cloud was this cheeky little pied wagtail. 

He made for lovely, cheering entertainment as I relaxed.

May 20th – I’d had enough. The week had been tough and I needed time out – so taking advantage of a temporary lull at work I left early and headed out. The weather wasn’t great, with an insistent southwesterly and generally overcast skies, but it was warm enough and the sun did make it out on occasions.

I headed  up to Rosliston, hoping to catch the Honeypot cafe, but the opening hours were shorter than those listed online, and it was shut. Having a brainwave, I went instead to the cafe at the Rosliston Forestry Centre, which was decent and is open daily until 5pm. From there, Linton, Caldwell, Gresley, Netherseal, then back via No Mans Heath, Haunton, Syerscote, Hopwas and Weeford. 

This was just the thing my soul needed, and 75 miles later, I felt much better.

February 18th – A day off and a ride into Staffordshire on what was a bitterly cold but bright spring day. I was testing some modifications to the bike, so only took in a loop of Farewell and Fradley, and was sadly cursed by the p*nct*r* fairy, but it was a fantastic ride with some great sights.

If you’re contemplating riding the canal between Hanch and Fradley, take a mountain bike. It’s hard going. 

That dog starting at the duck is my hero.

November 1st – A wonderful warm, misty day on Cannock Chase, and on the way I called in to a farm shop. Beside the driveway, there is livestock in the paddocks; pigs, chickens, geese, a donkey and a goat. There’s a great butchers there and a cafe, too: not sure about eating sausage sandwiches in full view of the porkers though.

More images from this fantastic ride on my main blog here.

September 11th – I tried out Cobwebs coffee shop near Abbots Bromley – and fine tea and cake was enjoyed in a beautiful garden spot, which I seemed to be sharing with several hundred wasps. 

This is a great place and I will be back, and this sunny, warm afternoon was perfect for it.

August 23rd – Caught in heavy rains at Cannock Chase, I headed for the nearest shelter which happened to be the cafe, Springslade Lodge. Awful phone photos, but I was struck by the effort the staff had put into dressing the garden with plastic tablecloths, flower vases and such, for no customers to be able to use it.

Oddly beautiful and a little sad.